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What now?! Necessary steps to take after the Equifax Breach

Posted by Andrea Guzman on Monday, October 2nd, 2017

The Equifax data breach in September affected about 143 million Americans; chances are you are one of them. Two members of OPL's Digital Safety Team explain the necessary steps to take after major data breaches.

Though the adage “the best defense is prevention” still rings to be true when it comes to digital safety and privacy, there are particular situations--such as data breaches--where consumers have little control over how their data is protected. Data breaches have become so commonplace that the Federal Trade Commision even made a video called “Data Breaches and You” (watch it here). Such cases call for damage control and setting up systems to better protect your information in the future.

Today, most of us know that Equifax--a consumer credit reporting agency--was hacked last month. Sensitive data including names, addresses and social security numbers have been leaked; more than 143 million Americans have been affected by the breach.

The most important takeaway from the Equifax Breach is: assume your information has been compromised and take all the necessary steps to protect yourself from further harm.

1. Start with a Credit Freeze and Fraud Alert

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recommends a credit freeze for all individuals who are concerned about data breaches and their personal information (this should be you). Credit freezes restrict access to credit reports which are often required by creditors in order to open new accounts. There are three major credit-reporting agencies which all have access to some or all your information, make sure to contact each of them and follow their directions.

Do you know how many accounts are currently open in your name, fraudulent or not? Thankfully, you can access your credit history with a free credit report. The only place that the FTC recommends for checking your credit history is AnnualCreditReport.com (avoid using other free credit reporting sites).

3. Report Identity Theft

If you find something fishy (warning signs here and here) while you complete the previous two steps, document it! If you find that you are a victim of identity theft, visit the FTC’s IdentityTheft.gov page to report your case as soon as possible.

4. Damage Control

Make a recovery plan and learn your rights as a victim of Identity Theft. Click here to browse an extensive list of steps to take if your identity has been stolen.

We hope this information is useful to you as you navigate your next steps. If you live in the USA and have a credit history and/or credit score, we strongly recommend that you take the aforementioned steps to prevent or mitigate any damage that may come from having your identity stolen.